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MIDDLESBROUGH Environment City

Ingredients
5 bags Fairtrade Green Tea
4 Salmon Fillets
2 cups boiling water
5 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. Fairtrade olive oil
1 tsp. salt/pepper
1/2 Fairtrade lemon
For the Asparagus
400g asparagus, tough ends trimmed and discarded
12 slices prosciutto
1 tbsp Fairtrade olive oil
1 tablespoon water

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400f / 200oC / Gas Mark 6. Steep tea in water for 2-4 minutes, remove bags and add garlic, ginger and sesame oil to tea.
2. In skillet, heat oil and, once hot, add salmon. Place skin-side up and sear for 2-3 minutes. Turn salmon over and add tea mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and poach for 6-9 minutes, until it flakes easily.
3. While salmon is poaching, wrap two asparagus spears with a slice of prosciutto. Place wrapped spears on a baking sheet, drizzle asparagus with olive oil (Tips and ends, avoiding prosciutto) and roast for 8-10 minutes, until prosciutto is crispy.
4. Plate salmon and squeeze over lemon juice, season to preference and serve with the asparagus and some rice if desired.

 

Ingredients

200g spaghetti
2tsp black peppercorns
80g pecorino romano / parmesan / Italian hard cheese of choice

Method

1) Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the spaghetti. Cook for five minutes, or around 2 minutes less than pack instructions. Scoop out 250ml of the water and set aside in a bowl.
2) While the pasta’s boiling, add black peppercorns to a very hot and dry pan and toast for a few minutes. Remove from heat and crush the peppercorns roughly.
3) Drain the pasta, keeping 200-250ml of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta, and 100ml of the pasta water, into the pan with the pepper. Toss briefly, then scatter over the cheese. Wait for the cheese to melt without stirring, and then begin to toss and stir together to prevent cheese from clumping and to make a smooth sauce. Add more pasta water if necessary to loosen sauce.
4) Once pasta is well and truly coated, serve in warm bowls with an additional sprinkling of cheese and black pepper if desired. Serve with warm, crusty bread.

 Ingredients

500ml pomegranate juice
25g caster sugar
Handful of frozen blackberries
250ml apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
4 cloves
3 black peppercorns
1 orange quartered

Method

Put the pomegranate juice, sugar, blackberries and apple juice in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, peppercorns and orange. Heat gently until simmering. Taste for sweetness, then strain into heatproof glasses.

 

Ingredients

150g pudding rice
250ml whole milk
250ml double cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 vanilla pod or a few drops of extract
75g shelled pistachios, chopped
1/2tsp / 1 tsp rosewater
1 pomegranate, seeded and juice reserved

Method

1. Put the rice, cream and milk in a large pan set over a gentle heat. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, until the milk has come to the boil. Reduce the heat and add the sugar and vanilla pod, then cook for a further 25-30 mins, until tender and creamy, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, lightly toast the pistachios in a dry frying pan or in the oven. Remove and leave to cool a little, before chopping.
3. Add the rosewater to the rice mixture a drop at a time (to taste). Be careful not to add too much otherwise the rice pudding will taste soapy.
4. To serve, divide the rice pudding between 4 bowls, then top each with some pomegranate seeds, pistachios and a drizzle of the reserved pomegranate juice.

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely chopped
600 – 800g  pumpkin flesh, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
800 ml vegetable stock
200 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds

Method

1. Put the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and half the olive oil into a large pan. Cook over a low–medium heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not coloured.
2. Add the squash and potato, mix to combine and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
3. Pour over stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15min, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the pumpkin seeds and fry quickly until the seeds start to pop. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. (you could add some chilli powder or Cajun spices on the pumpkin seeds before cooking.)
5. Once the vegetables have all cooked, remove the pan from heat and blend until smooth – do this in batches, if necessary. Check the seasoning and ladle into warmed soup bowls.
6. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and freshly ground black pepper and a squirl of cream if available. Serve with crusty bread.

 

Ingredients

For the stew

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions , halved and sliced
• 1-2 celery sticks, thickly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 500g lean pork fillet , cut into large chunks
• 2 tsp English mustard powder
• 2  large garlic cloves , grated
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp cider vinegar
• 800ml  chicken stock
• 1  apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 2 leeks , thickly sliced
• 2-3  carrots , cut into chunks

For the dumplings

• 140g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp English mustard powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp  yogurt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof and ovenproof dish. Add the onions, celery, bay and thyme, and fry for about 8 mins until softened. Add the pork and cook for a few mins until it changes colour, but it doesn’t need to brown as you don’t want to overcook it.
2. Stir in the mustard powder, garlic, flour and vinegar, then pour in the stock, stirring to prevent any lumps forming.
3. Add the apple, leeks and carrots, bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until the pork and vegetables are tender.
4. When the stew is nearly cooked, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and make the dumplings: Tip the flour, baking powder, mustard powder, parsley and thyme into a bowl and stir to combine. Put the yogurt in a jug, make up to 100ml with water, then stir in the oil. Lightly stir the liquid into the flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Divide the dough equally into eight and shape into balls. Drop them on top of the stew, drizzling each one with the remaining oil. Bake for 20 mins until the dumplings are golden. Scatter with the extra thyme, if you like, before serving.

 

 

 

Ingredients

500g minced beef
1 medium onion, chopped
284ml beef stock
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
226g self raising flour
28g corn flour
85g shredded suet
284ml milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°/gas mark 4
2. Put the meat in a large saucepan and cook over a medium heat in its own fat until it starts to brown.
3. Add the onion and cook for a further 5 minutes until softened.
4. Add the stock and the Worcestershire sauce.
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Put the flour, corn flour and suet into a bowl, gradually stir in the milk to form a thick batter.
7. Put the meat into a 1.5 litre pie dish and cover with the batter mixture.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until risen and browned.

 

Ingredients

100g butter
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
300g self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
140ml milk
1 tsp baking powder
150g fresh or dried blueberries

Method

1. Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy then add in the eggs, one at a time.
3. Add the flour and baking powder to make a thick batter, and then stir in the vanilla extract and milk.
4. Add the blueberries and spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180c/gas4
6. Leave the blueberry muffins to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before turning out.

Top Tip:  For the best blueberry muffins, don’t over-mix the ingredients

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 large potato, chopped into small chunks
1 aubergine, trimmed and chopped into chunks
250g button mushrooms
2-4 tbsp curry paste, to taste
150ml vegetable stock
400ml can coconut milk
Chopped coriander to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and potato. Cover, then cook over a low heat until the potatoes start to soften.
2. Add in the aubergine and mushrooms, then cook for a few more minutes.
3. Stir in the curry paste, pour over the stock and coconut milk.
4. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender. Stir through the coriander and serve with rice or naan bread.

 

Ingredients:

15mi/1tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 carrot
4 fresh spicy sausages
150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup tomato juice
15ml brandy (optional)
1.5ml / 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
5ml/1tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh corriander

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan
2. Cook the onion, garlic, carrot and sausages for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sausage have evenly browned.
3. Stir in the tomato juice, brandy, tobacco and sugar with salt and pepper to taste
4. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the sausage is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
5. Serve at once garnished with chopped coriander.

Ingredients

• 150g piece chorizo, roughly chopped
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 200g new potatoes, washed and cut into small cubes
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 mackerel fillets, halved lengthways with pin bones removed
• Large handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  

Method

1. To prepare the potatoes, bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes, return to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes until par boiled. Drain in a colander.
2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until most of the oil has been released. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the mackerel fillets to the pan skin side down and fry for 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for the same time. Remove from the pan.
4. Reduce the heat to low and add the onions and potatoes to the pan. Coat in the oil from the chorizo and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the onions golden.
5. Flake the mackerel fillets with a fork and add them to the pan. Stir the tomatoes and chorizo into the pan. Gently mix and cook for 2 minutes, until piping hot.
6. Stir in the parsley. Divide between 4 plates and serve with a mixed leaf salad.

 

Ingredients

• 190g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g cold butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
• 10g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 medium free-range egg
• 1 tsp ice-cold water

Filling

• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 2-3 slices ham, finely diced
• 200ml crème fraîche
• 80g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method 

1. First make the pastry. For the best results, keep your hands and kitchen as cool as you can while doing this. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the Parmesan, then mix in the egg and the water until the dough forms a ball. You may need a tiny bit more water depending on the size of the egg. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill it in the fridge for half an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4
3. Grease the tin with a little butter and a sprinkling of flour. Press the pastry discs gently into the tin.
4. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and roll out the pastry. Using a pastry cutter cut out discs of pastry of a size to fit your mince pie tin. Think jam tarts – the sides must be high enough to contain the filling.
5. To make the filling, mix all the ingredients, except 25g of the cheese, together and stir gently to avoid getting too much air into the mixture. Spoon the filling into the pastry cases and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the egg mixture has lost its wobble!
6. Serve hot or cold with new potatoes and a green salad.